The World

Four chief priests of the Sikh religion declared their support for militants fighting for a separate Sikh nation in India's Punjab state. The declaration from priests Puran Singh, Kashmir Singh, Jaswant Singh and Sawinder Singh was read at the Golden Temple at Amritsar, seat of the Sikh religion. It said the Indian government is oppressing Sikhs nationwide and called on Sikhs worldwide to back the militants' "decisive war for liberation."